Flexible propeller shaft drive



D. F. QUEEN 3,099,242

July 30, 1963 FLEXIBLE PROPELLER SHAFT DRIVE 3 Sheets$heet 1 Filed Jan.31, 1962 Fig.

Fig. 2

64 Delbert E Queen 6 ZNVENTOR.

. 74 4 BY 72 72 and my m July 30, 1963 D. F. QUEEN FLEXIBLE PROPELLERSHAFT DRIVE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 51, 1962 Delbert Oueen INVENTORJuly 30, 1963 D. F. QUEEN FLEXIBLE PROPELLER SHAFT DRIVE 3 Sheets-She et5 Filed Jan. 51, 1962 INVENTOR.

BY Aflornq:

United States Patent 3,099,242 FLEXIBLE PROPELLER SHAFT DRIVE Delbert F.Queen, Richmond Dale, Ohio Filed Jan. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 170,116 13Claims. (Cl. 115-42) This invention relates to a novel and usefulflexible propeller shaft drive assembly which has been specificallydesigned for use in conjunction with boat hulls of thetype havinginboard motors disposed therein.

The flexible propeller drive shaft of the instant invention has beenprimarily designed to enable an inboard boat to be effectively propelledthrough shallow waters with little or no chance of the propeller of theflexible drive shaft assembly striking underwater objects projectingupwardly from the bottom and becoming damaged thereby.

The flexible propeller drive shaft assembly of the instant inventionutilizes a flexible drive shaft having a flexible outer housing memberin which a flexible drive core is rotatably journalled. One end of theflexible outer housing member is adapted for securement through anopening formed in the transom of a boat. An upright generally L-shapedsupport rod is provided with means for rotatably mounting the upstandingleg of the support rod from the transom of the boat for rotation aboutits longitudinal axis. The free end of the horizontal leg of the supportrod is provided with means for pivotally securing the rear free end ofthe flexible outer housing member to the hori- Zontal leg for movementabout an axis extending transversely of the outer housing member and ofthe plane in which the legs of the L-shaped support rod are disposed. Inthis manner, the L-shaped support rod may be rotated about thelongitudinal axis of its upstanding leg in order to steer the boat towhich the flexible propeller shaft drive assembly is secured. Inaddition, the bracket assembly by which the upstanding leg of theL-shaped support rod is rotatably supported from the transom of the boatalso includes means slidably receiving the upstanding leg of the supportrod whereupon the free or rear end of the flexible outer housing membermay be raised and lowered in order to pass over submerged objects. Thefree swingable end of the outer housing member is provided with at leastsemi-rigid bottom skid arm means which project downwardly and rearwardlyof the rear end of the housing member and are adapted to engage anysubmerged objects which might present an obstacle to the marine typepropeller carried by the rear end of the flexible drive core anddisposed immediately above the bottom skid arm assembly.

The main object of this invention is to provide a flexible propellerdrive shaft assembly which may be readily, adapted to conventional typesof inboard boats and efficiently utilized to propel such an inboard boatthrough shallow waters with the shaft drive assembly being yieldablysupported from the transom of the boat at its propeller end and formovement away from the bottom of the body of water in which the boat isdisposed in the event a submerged object lies in the path of thepropeller.

A further object of this invention, in accordance with the immediatelypreceding object, is to provide a flexible propeller shaft driveassembly including a novel stufling box assembly for sealing theflexible outer housing member of the assembly in fluid-tight sealingengagement with portions of the transom of a boat through which thehousing assembly passes.

A final object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide aflexible propeller shaft drive assembly for outboard drive boats inaccordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventionalforms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as toprovide a device that will be economically feasible,

icev long-lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the rear portion of an inboard motor boatin which the flexible propeller shaft drive assembly of the instantinvention has been installed;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevational view of theembodiment illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIGURE2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view similar tothat of FIGURE 3 but showing the flexible propeller shaft drive assemblyin an alternate position;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 55 of FIGURE3;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the upper supportmeans for the upstanding control rod of the flexible power shaft driveassembly shown on somewhat of an enlarged scale.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral It)generally designates a boat hull including opposite sides 12 and 14, abottom 16 and a transom 18. A small inboard motor generally referred toby the numeral 20 is secured to the bottom 16 in any convcnient mannerand includes an output shaft 22.

The flexible propeller shaft drive assembly of the instant invention isgenerally designated by the reference numeral 24 and includes a flexibleouter housing member generally referred to by the reference numeral 26in which there is rotatably journalled a flexible drive core 28. Theflexible drive core 28 includes a forward end which is drivinglyconnected to the output shaft 22 in any convenient manner and awater-proof and flexible covering assembly generally referred to by thereference numeral 30 is secured over the rear portion of the flexibleouter housing member 26. A stufiing box assembly generally referred toby the reference numeral 32 is provided and is utilized in forming afluid-tight seal between the cover assembly 31) and the transom 18through which the housing member 26 projects via an opening 34 formed inthe transom.

The stuffin-g box assembly 32 includes a resilient washer 36 which hasan inner diameter snugly receiving the cover assembly 30' and an outerdiameter snugly receivable in the opening 34. However, the washer 36 isthicker than the transom 18 and compression plates 38 are secured toopposite sides of the transom 18 and axially compress the washer 36. Theaxial compression of the washer 36 radially inwardly and outwardlyexpands the washer 36 into tight fluid sealing engagement with the outersurfaces of the cover assembly 30 and the surfaces of the transom 18defining the opening 34.

A generally L-shaped support rod referred to in general by a referencenumeral 40 is provided and includes an' upstanding leg 42 and arearwardly extending horizontally disposed leg 44. A bracket assemblygenerally referred to by the reference numeral 46 is provided and issecured to the rear surface 48 of the transom 18 by means of fasteners50. The bracket assembly 46 includes a journal portion 52 whichrotatably and slidably receives the upstanding leg 42. The upstandingleg 42 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced andtransverse bores (not shown) through any one of which the fastener 54may be secured. Anabutment washer 56 is slidably disposed on theupstanding leg 42 between the fastener 54 and the upper end of thejournal portion or sleeve portion 52 and comprises a limit stop fordownward sliding movement of the upstanding leg 42. The upper end of theupstanding leg 42 terminates in a forwandly directed handle portion 58which projects over the rear end of the hull and is provided with a handgrip 60 for manipulation by the operator of the boat.

The rear end of the flexible drive core 28 is designated by thereference numeral 62 and projects rearwardly of the rear end of theouter housing member 26 and has a marine type screw propeller 64 securedthereto.

A bottom skid arm assembly generally referred to by the referencenumeral 66 is provided and includes one arm portion 68 which is securedto the rear free end of the outer housing member 26 by means of bracket70. The one arm portion 68 projects re'arwardly and downwardly away fromthe rear end of the outer housing member 26 and includes a pair of sandskates 72.

It will be noted that the one arm portion 68 actually comprises a pairof arms 74 to whose free end the sand skates 72 are secured in anyconvenient manner such as by welding 76. The skid arm assembly 66includes a second arm portion 78 comprising a pair of arms 80 which aresecured at one end to the corresponding arm 74 and project forwardly andupwardly. The forward and upper ends of the arms 80 are innerconnectedby means of an integral bight portion 82 and the bight portion 82 isconnected to the upstanding leg 42 by means of two pairs of links 84 and86 which are rigid with the upstanding leg 42 and the bight portion 82respectively, and articulated links 88 and 90.

The links 88 and 90 have their adjacent ends pivotally secured togetherby means of a pivot pin 92 and the remote ends of the links 88 and 90are pivotally secured to the free ends of the links 86 and 84 by meansof pivot pins 94 and 96. Additionally, a pair of expansion springs 98are secured between the lower end of the upright leg 42 and the bightportion 82 whereby the free end of the arms 80 are urged upwardly towarda position with the bight portion 82 abutting the lower surfaces of thelinks 84.

The clamp 70 has an arm portion 100 which projects upwardly from thefree end portion of the outer housing member 26 and is pivotally securedat its free end to the free end portion of a link member 102 by means ofa pivot pin 104. The end of the link member 102 remote from the armportion 100 loosely embraces the rear end of the horizontal leg 44 andis pivotally secured thereto by means of a pivot pin 106.

A control rod 108 has its lower end pivotally secured to the outerhousing member 26 forwardly of the clamp 70 by means of a pivot pin 112carried by clamp 110 and the lower end of the control rod 108 is looselyand slidably received through a passage 114 formed through thehorizontal leg 44.

A bracket assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 116and including a generally U-shaped bracket 118 having legs 120 and 122which are innerconnected by means of a bight portion 124 is secured tothe upper end of the upstanding leg 42 by means of fasteners 126 and acrank pin 128 is swingably mounted between the legs 120 and 122 by meansof crank arms 130 and 132. Expansion springs 134 and 136 are securedbetween the crank pin 128 and the bight portion 124 and norm-allyresiliently urge the crank pin 128 to the position illustrated in FIGURE4 and away from the positions illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3 and 6. Limitshafts 140 and 142 are also secured between the legs 120 and 122 andcomprise limit stops for upward and downward swinging movement of thecrank pin 128.

A pair of expansion springs 144 and 146 each have an end secured to thecorresponding leg of the bracket 118 and adjacent ends slidably engagedwith the control rod 108. Accordingly, it may be seen that while theexpansion springs 134 and 136 have a tendency to return the control rod108 to its lowermost position, the expansion springs 144 and 146 willnot only have a tendency to assist in maintaining the control rod 108 inits lowermost position but also resiliently urge the crank pin 128toward its uppermost limit position after it has passed the overcenterposition defined by a plane passing through the points at which theexpansion springs 144 and 146 are secured to the legs 122 and 120respectively and the axis of rotation of the crank arms 130 and 132.

In operation, the support rod 40 may first be adjusted to position apropeller 64 at the desired depth. Then, as the motor 20 is operated,the propeller 64 will propel the hull 10 through a body of water. If asubmerged object lies in the path of the arms 74 of the first armportion 66, the sand skids 72, the arms 74 or the arms will engage thesubmerged object and pivot the arm portion 100 in a counterclockwisedirection as viewed in FIGURE 3 of the drawings about the longitudinalaxis of the pivot pin 104. The lower end of the link member 102 willthen swing forwardly and the forward ends of the arms 80 will swingdownwardly thus extending the links 88 and from a position illustratedin FIGURE 3 of the drawings toward the position illustrated in FIG- URE4 of the drawings against the tension of the expansion springs 98.Additionally, the control rod 108 will be lowered relative to thesupport rod 40 and if the submerged object or obstruction is closeenough to the surface of the body of water on which the hull 10 isfloated, the upstanding leg 42 of the support rod 40 will be slidupwardly through the journal portion 52 to the position illustrated inFIGURE 4 of the drawings.

The links 88 and 90 define a limit position past which the arms 80 maynot be swung farther downwardly and at this point the support rod 40will be raised relative to the bracket assembly 46 by engagement of anyof the arms 74- or 80* with a submerged object.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A flexible propeller shaft drive assembly for outboard drive boatsincluding a hull and having an inboard motor disposed therein, saidassembly comprising a flexible outer housing member having a flexibledrive core rotatably journalled therein with one end adapted for drivingconnection with an output shaft of said motor, a generally L-shapedsupport rod including an upstanding leg and a rearwardly extendinghorizontally disposed leg, bracket means adapted for securemen-t to saidhull and slidably and rotatably receiving said upstanding leg forlongitudinal reciprocal and rotational movement thereof about and alongits longitudinal axis respectively, means mounting the second end ofsaid housing to the free end portion of said horizontal leg for movementabout an axis extending generally at right angles to the planecontaining said support rod and transversely of said second end of saidhousing.

2. The combination of claim 1 including an at least semi-rigid bottomskid arm assembly having at least one arm portion secured at one end tosaid second end of said housing and extending outwardly from andrearwardly along said one end downwardly and away from said horizontalleg and the axis of rotation of said upstanding leg.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bracket means and upstandingleg include cooperating stop means limiting downward sliding movement ofsaid upstanding leg relative to said bracket means.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said cooperating stop meansincludes adjustment means for adjustably limiting sliding movement ofsaid upstanding leg relative to said bracket means.

5. The combination of claim 1 including an at least semi-rigid bottomskid arm assembly having at least one arm portion secured at one end tosaid second end of said housing and extending outwardly from andrearwardly along said one end downwardly and away from said horizontalleg and the axis of rotation of said upstanding leg, said bottom armskid assembly including a second arm portion having one end secured tothe free end portion of said one arm with said second arm portionextending forwardly and including means coacting with portions of saidsupport rod defining an upper limit position of swinging movement of thefree end of said second arm portion relative to said support rod.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said coacting means also includesmeans defining a lower limit position of swinging movement of the freeend of said second arm portion relative to said support rod.

7. The combination of claim 6 including means normally resilient urgingsaid free end of said second arm portion toward said upper limitposition.

8. The combination of claim 1 including an at least semi-rigid bottomskid arm assembly having at least one arm portion secured at one end tosaid second end of said housing and extending outwardly from andrearwardly along said one end downwardly and away from said horizontalleg and the axis of rotation of said upstanding leg, an upstandingcontrol rod, means pivotally securing the lower end of said control rodto said housing member forwardly of said mounting means for movementabout an axis extending transversely of said control rod and saidhousing, means mounting the upper end of control rod to said upstandingleg for limited movement longitudinally thereof, and means resilientlyurging said control rod upwardly relative to said support rod.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said horizontal leg includes meansslidably receiving said control rod intermediate its opposite ends.

10. A normally rearwardly and downwardly inclined flexible propellershaft drive assembly for outboard drive boats including a hull andhaving an inboard motor disposed therein, said assembly comprising aflexible outer housing member having a flexible drive core rotatablyjournaled therein with its forward end adapted for driving connectionwith an output shaft of said motor, support means including a portionadapted to be secured to said hull and including means pivotallysupporting said outer housing for rotation about a horizontal axisextending transversely of said housing and means for raising andlowering said axis relative to the portion of said support means adaptedto be secured to said boat, the rear end of said outer housing havingdependingly supported skid means mounted thereon including a lowerportion disposed rearwardly of said axis, said support means includingmeans swingably supporting the rear end portion of said housing foroscillating movement about an upstanding axis disposed forwardly of saidfirst-mentioned axis.

11. The combination of claim 10 including means interconnecting saidhousing and said support means limiting oscillating movement of the rearend of said housing relative to said support means between a normalrearwardly and downwardly inclined position and retracted rearwardly andupwardly inclined position.

12. The combination of claim 11 including means connected between saidhousing and said support means yieldingly urging said housing toward itsnormal position.

13. The combination of claim 10 wherein said support means includesmeans pivotally supporting the rear end portion of said housing foroscillating movement about an upstanding axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS830,908 Sept. 11, 1906 2,955,562 Modes Oct. 11, 1960 2,997,014 lPuckettAug. '22, 1961 3,010,421 Perkins Nov. 28, 1961

1. A FLEXIBLE PROPELLER SHAFT DRIVE ASSEMBLY FOR OUTBOARD DRIVE BOATSINCLUDING A HULL AND HAVING AN INBOARD MOTOR DISPOSED THEREIN, SAIDASSEMBLY COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE OUTER HOUSING MEMBER HAVING A FLEXIBLEDRIVE CORE ROTATABLY JOURNALLED THEREIN WITH ONE END ADAPTED FOR DRIVINGCONNECTION WITH AN OUTPUT SHAFT OF SAID MOTOR, A GENERALLY L-SHAPEDSUPPORT ROD INCLUDING AN UPSTANDING LEG AND A REARWARDLY EXTENDINGHORIZONTALLY DISPOSED LEG, BRACKET MEANS ADAPTED FOR SECUREMENT TO SAIDHULL AND SLIDABLY AND ROTATABLY RECEIVING SAID UPSTANDING LEG FORLONGITUDINAL RECIPROCAL AND ROTATIONAL MOVEMENT THEREOF ABOUT AND ALONGITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS RESPECTIVELY, MEANS MOUNTING THE SECOND END OFSAID HOUSING TO THE FREE END PORTION OF SAID HORIZONTAL LEG FOR MOVEMENTABOUT AND AXIS EXTENDING GENERALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE PLANECONTAINING SAID SUPPORT ROD AND TRANSVERSELY OF SAID SECOND END OF SAIDHOUSING.